New research suggests that collective bargaining rights for teachers in U.S. states do not cause average increases in education funding.

Data & Methods: A longitudinal dataset spanning all U.S. states before and after granting collective bargaining rights to teachers was analyzed using difference-in-differences techniques.

Key Findings: States with mandatory bargaining had higher education expenditures, but these differences predate unionization efforts. No statistically significant change in average spending occurred upon implementation of bargaining rights.

Why It Matters? Contrary to conventional wisdom connecting unions and government expansion, this study demonstrates that teacher collective bargaining does not uniformly increase education budgets. Most laws included provisions that balanced pro-union elements with anti-labor measures.